The Waterboys have announced comprehensive new boxset, 1985, which tells the story of the evolution of their This Is The Sea album.

Released on 23 February, the boxset covers the origins and recording process of the acclaimed LP, with demos, live cuts, unreleased songs, and more, all packed in an expansive 6CD/220-page hardback book and digital set.

Also being released is the remastered version of This Is The Sea on clear vinyl for the very first time.

There are three formats:
•    1985 6CD box set + 220-page hardback book
•    1985 6CD digital box set (no book)
•    This is The Sea [clear vinyl]

Through both book and boxset 1985 sees Waterboys’ leader Mike Scott telling the story of the making of their landmark album This Is The Sea and the timeless single, The Whole of The Moon. The music takes the listener through 95 tracks over six CDs, including 64 previously unreleased home cuts, early demos, alternate versions, outtakes, concert recordings and TV/radio sessions covering the origins and recording process of the album along with the remastered version of the final This Is The Sea album. itself

The boxset book arrives as a 220-page hard cover containing a first-hand account of the creation of the album with deep recording details, background, cultural context, photographs (most of them previously unseen), songwriting pages, lyrics and previously unseen writings. The text comes from Mike Scott with additional sections by Waterboys colleagues Anthony Thistlethwaite and Max Edie.

1985 TRACK LISTING:
CD1 Towers Open Fire: Trumpets (Session) / Be My Enemy (Prototype 3) / The Ways Of Men (Session) / The Waves #1 / Old England (Demo) / Towers Open Fire / Down Through The Town / Ribbon Of Steel (Live) / Bury My Heart (Live) / The Three Day Man (Live) / Medicine Bow (Session) / This Is The Sea (Live) / A Door For My Soul Home (Demo) / Son Of Rags / In My Bed / The Pan Within (Inst Demo) / Even The Trees Are Dancing (Full Length) / Theme / Fuzz Guitar Vamp / Death Is Not The End

CD2 The Black Book: Beverly Penn (Piano Demo) / Don’t Bang The Drum (Piano Demo) / Be My Enemy (Piano Demo) / The Day I Ran Out Of People / Winter Blows / The Mercenary And The Samaritan / Looking For Dickon / Spirit (Piano Demo) / All The Bright Horses / Custer’s Blues (Piano Demo) / The Woman In Me / Paris In The Rain / The Song Of Sitting Bull / Talk About Wings / The Whole of The Moon (Writing of) / The Pan Within (Piano Demo) / No Sun In The Sky / Winter In The Blood / We Belong To The World / The Whole of The Moon (Piano Demo)

CD3 A Sky Full Of Crows: Medicine Jack / Medicine Jack Boogie-Woogie / The Sound Of Snow / The Pan Within (Inst) / It Should Have Been You, Guitar Play / Old England (Early Take) / Old Macmichael Had A Band / Sweet Thing / Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town / Spirit (Full Length) / Then You Hold Me / Trumpets (Instr #1) / Rain Come Down / Son of Dirt / This Is The Sea (Drumatix Version)

CD4 The Ladder: Medicine Bow (Elemental Rough Mix) / Trumpets (Inst #2) / Be My Enemy (Rough Mix) / Sleek White Schooner / Sweetheart Like You / This Is The Sea (Fast with Mike Lead Guitar Demo) / Adrian And The Piano Storm / Beverly Penn (Synth Version) / This Is The Sea (Fast with Tom Verlaine Lead Guitar Version) / The Waves #2 / The Ladder (Demo) / Beverly Penn / Don’t Bang The Drum (Livingston Mix) / Ribbon of Steel Slide Guitar / Paisley Park

CD5 Mountaintop: The Whole of The Moon (Livingston Mix) / High Far Soon / This Is The Sea (Livingston Mix) / Medicine Bow (Full Length) / The Pan Within (Wickham’s First Play) / Miracle / World Party (Demo) / I Am Not Here / Born To Be Together (Session) / Higher In Time (Session) / The Whole of The Moon (Video Version) / Meridian West / Don’t Bang The Drum (Session) / Medicine Bow (Session) / Behold The Sea / Beverly Penn 2023

CD6 This Is The Sea (The Album) Don’t Bang The Drum / The Whole of The Moon / Spirit / The Pan Within / Medicine Bow / Old England / Be My Enemy / Trumpets / This Is The Sea